The Fallen Vampire

Chapter 189: A Mystery Gift

Velreth couldn't remember the last time he had suffered such a level of humiliation as this.

Not only was this ghostly apparition completely ignoring him, but he even had the gall toxin his back against the wall as if he were some first rate miscreant!

The sheer inconceivability of it all was astounding!

But as Velreth glared at the apparition with hate, he realized that there was something rather unnatural about him.

The very air around him rippled with a strange energy; almost the same as a heatwave.

It was as if the space holding him was unstable.

He had only heard of this phenomena once before.

"...You've come from beyond the boundary. Haven't you?"

The apparition didn't even spare him a glance.

"Unbelievable... What could someone of your standing have come here for? Why do you bother with my disciple?"

Finally, the apparition decided to speak.

"... Your 'disciple' has eaten something he shouldn't have. It is my master's wish that I retrieve it, but... miraculously it seems as though that will be more difficult than the acquisition of the other pieces."

Velreth looked at Taira strangely before turning back to the specter.

"I don't understand. What has he eaten exactly? What do you mean by other pieces?"

"...I've said too much already. I will not be here when you awaken."

"Wait, what are you-"

The entity made a twisting gesture with it's fingers and Velreth immediately lost consciousness.

With nothing but silence and fur bloodstained walls to observe it, the strange entity finally stopped hovering over Taira.

Instead, he turned to an empty space within the room and made a slashing motion with his hands.

Space and time itself was ripped apart, and an image of a 'man' was reflected through the gap.

But the man in question was beyond extraordinary.

His skin was pitch black in color; without a single speck of warmth or light.

Unless one counted the brilliant golden tattoos that ran across his body constantly. Shifting and churning as if to illustrate the ever changing strings of fate.

The visible parts of his body were immaculate sculpted and powerful, being without equal or rival.

His hair was twin colored, being around 60% lightless black and 40% holy white. Curling out of his head were four black horns that were nigh impossible to even chip.

In addition to his normal golden eyes, he had a third sitting in the middle of his forehead that was somehow even more eerie than the original pair.

The specter immediately bowed at the sight of this man.

"...Overlord. There has been a development that I thought you should be made aware of."

For some reason, this seemed to upset the being on the other side of the projection.

"I can assure you, Maliketh... My mood lately has been an unbearably foul thing. I urge you not to tell me anything that could make it worse, or the fate that awaits you will not be kind."

The being referred to as Maliketh trembled and lowered it's head even deeper.

"I-I understand... I've contacted you to speak about the collection..."

"Go ahead."

"The brain, bones, and flesh of the creature were collected without issue, and came as soon as they were invoked. But the blood seems to be unresponsive."

The man within the gap leaned forward with a rather thoughtful look on his face.

"...You're saying the blood no longer has an ego?"

"That is exactly what I am saying, my overlord."

Your next journey awaits at ???

The black skinned man seemed to fell silent as he thought about the possibilities of such a thing, while Maliketh continued.

"Proceeding further would mean that extraction without harming the carrier is no longer feasible, thus going against your orders..." Maliketh said.

"You seem to have already disobeyed them." The dragon growled; looking at the state of the room.

"Of course not, My Lord. He was in this state when I found him."

This actually seemed to shock the dragon.

"...Seriously?"

"Quite."

"...Shit." he whistled.

"Indeed." Maliketh agreed with a nod. "I wish to know how you would have me proceed."

The dark being ran his hands through his hair thoughtfully as if his job had just become too stressful for comfort.

"...Test it again. All three this time."

"As you wish."

Maliketh stood up and three dark portals opened up in the ceiling.

Three large containers each slowly descended; each holding something different.

One held a green, alien looking organ that pulsed with a strange light. It would be difficult to recognize as a brain.

The next was filled to the brim with chopped up meat that looked like burned, dried out carne asada.

The last one contained dark, bone-like structures, but if you would've asked what animal they belonged to, no one in this world or the next could've given you an answer.

As soon as the three items were brought together in the same space and the same proximity, there was an immediate reaction.

Dark lightning crackled between the three canisters.

They started to inch together; almost as if they were being pulled by an incredibly powerful magnetic force.

Even Maliketh strained as he tried to keep the three separate to prevent a catastrophe from unfolding.

His master watched this entire scene with all three eyes alert and calculative.

Surprisingly, there was no reaction from Taira, or even the blood around him.

He simply continued to sleep peacefully with his notebook in his lap.

"That's enough, Maliketh."

"Y-Yes, overlord.." The dark being quickly stuffed all three storage containers back into separate dimensional spaces.

Even when it was done, he dropped to the floor heaving in exhaustion.

"Well... Isn't that something." The man muttered.

"What... are your orders, Lord Abaddon..?" Maliket wheezed.

Lucia's proclaimed 'uncle' seemed to take his time making decision before he eventually waived his hand dismissively.

"Let him keep it then... Leave my gift with the family and return."

Maliketh seemed to question that decision, if only slightly.

Something that did not escape Abaddon's notice.

"You have a problem with my decision?"

"N-No, my lord.."

"Wise."

-

Taira's entire body felt fuzzy; as if he were enduring blast of static electricity after dragging his fur along a carpet.

But even more than that, he felt heavy. Like his muscles and organs had turned into cinderblocks.

The most he could do was open his eyes, and even then he could only crack them.

But what he saw standing above him was almost enough to make him black out all over again.

Right in front of him, in her flesh was his mother. Just as he last remembered.

Glossy dark brown skin, bright white teeth, and a black hair traveling down her back.

She seemed to notice that he was awake, and for a moment their eyes met.

Her irises were bright purple, but her sclera were dyed black.

Taira knew instantly that this wasn't really her.

"…Why… do you wear… her face..?" He wheezed.

'Dhalia' chuckled as she continued to place an item on the ground.

It was a large jar filled with some strange five-colored liquid.

"Your insight is promising… it means you will go far in life. Perhaps word of your deeds will reach even me, who sits in the abyss below."

Taira didn't get a chance to ask the imposter anything else. It retreated soon after leaving the jar behind at his feet, along with a small note.

But unfortunately, Taira would have to wait to read it until he woke up from his second nap.